Ninety-seven months ago, when I started the Texas Century Club challenge
at age 70, I did not know if my health would last long enough or even if
I would live long enough to make. But thanks to the Lord and a lot of
helpful birders, yesterday, I finished up county #100, Grayson County.
I have uploaded a map showing the 100 counties to the Texas Century Club
facebook page. I have tallied a total of 420 different species in the
100 counties, and 10,438 county ticks. 97 of the counties are
contiguous, stretching along I-10 from Orange to Kendall; along US90
west to Val Verde. along US59 from Webb to Nacogdoches, and 15 out of
the 19 counties I35 traverses. The non-contiguous counties are Brewster,
Kimble and Harrison. The closest county to my home in Houston in which I
have not seen 100 or more species is Newton, a county that could get
more birder attention. I have birded all 254 counties in Texas.
Seen in all 100 counties were: Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture, Mourning
Dove, Northern Mockingbird, and Northern Cardinal. The duck seen in the
most counties was Gadwall in 87; Pied-billed Grebe in 89; Double-crested
Cormorant in 90; Great Blue Heron in 98; Red-tailed Hawk in 97; American
Coot in 90; Killdeer in 97; Ring-billed Gull in 66; Yellow-billed Cuckoo
in 60 and Greater Roadrunner in only 42; Red-bellied Woodpecker in 72;
Eastern Phoebe in 91; Loggerhead Shrike in 86; White-eyed Vireo in 85;
Blue Jay in 77; American Crow in 75; Barn Swallow in 91; Carolina Wren
in 92; Ruby-crowned Kinglet in 92; Eastern Bluebird in 83; European
Starling in every county except Starr; Yellow-rumped Warbler in 93; and
as Steve Gross told us at the west Houston TOS meeting 11 out of 10
sparrows you see are Savannahs -- I saw Savannah Sparrows in 83 of the
counties; Great-tailed grackle in 95 counties; American Goldfinch in 69;
and finally House Sparrow in 98 (no HOSP in Kenedy or McMullen).
I have enjoyed birding in a lot of unique places in Texas.
Bill Wright, Houston
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